Scheme designed to help ambitious young people develop their boardroom and business skills, as B&Q hopes to encourage the country's "future leaders".
Sixteen finalists made it through the recruitment process to battle it out at an assessment day at B&Q's headquarters in Southampton at the weekend. The 16-18 year olds were given hands-on challenges and a short interview, judged by a panel of B&Q's senior executives.

Nine board members were finally selected and will meet at quarterly official meetings, tasked with looking at creative solutions to specific challenges facing the company. They will also have to present to B&Q's entire board in July 2012. The group of youths will be mentored by B&Q executives and members of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, who are working with the retailer on sustainability.

B&Q ceo Martyn Phillips said: "Opportunities like this are rare. The Youth Board offers tomorrow's leaders a once in a lifetime opportunity to influence the way the nation shops and the way we do business. Sustainability plays a key role in our development and the Youth Board gives us the chance to bring together young people with the skills and passion to ensure we are fit for purpose."

Ellen MacArthur added: "The Youth Board will set the tough challenge of developing a model for business to continue to thrive in a changing world. This will require them to be creative, work as a team and interrogate key areas of the business. For a team of young people, this is the chance of a lifetime to make their mark on the future economy."

The nine Youth Board members are (pictured from left to right) Mark Buckley 17 from Ringwood, Josh Watson 17 from Durham, Yahya Pandor 16 from Gloucester, Jaideep Wasu 17 from Bromley elected B&Q Youth Board CEO, Carys Jones 18 from Cardiff, Ben Pearson 17 from Bath, Jamie Taylor 18 from Oldham, Daniel Bettie 17 from Aberdare and Harris Aslam 16 from Fife.